For the Love of Geb and Nut
by Kender20
Summary: Post Ceremonial Duel. After Atem enters the afterlife, he meets a mysterious Nubian woman who helps him discover a gap in his memories. And the memories that filled that gap speak of a tale of star-crossed lovers. Atem/Anzu's past self.
1. Chapter 1

Note: Hiya! Work on the latest chapter for Blue Eyes White Mermaid is taking shape! There was so many things going on in this world right now, but I'm trying my best. Anyway, after reading every single manga of the entire original Yu-Gi-Oh series, I've finally got started on the story that takes place in that very universe! This is completely based on the manga series, not the anime, and it takes place right after the bittersweet ending that followed the Rite of the Duel (Otherwise known as the Ceremonial Duel, and yes, it's a true tearjerker). There is romance in this story, which I consider a quasi-Revolutionshipper. Read the story, and you'll see what I mean. Anyway, enjoy the first chapter!

**For the Love of Geb and Nut**

**Chapter 1: Reunion**

There was bright light everywhere. Atem could feel it as he walked through the door leading to the Offering Fields, the Ancient Egyptian afterlife. He could hardly believe it. After all the adventures he had with Yugi and his friends, he is finally coming home. Home… He still needs to get used to the idea. And as he walked through, his eyes widened in surprise. Right in front of him stood the people he knew and loved, before he met his modern world friends. Shada, Karim, Isis, Mahado, Mana, even his cousin Seto gave him a smile. Mana even started shedding tears of joy. "Hello Atem." Mana said, "We've all been waiting for you to come. We missed you so much!"

Atem stood there, as the doors to the Offering Fields closed behind him. He stared for what felt like a long time, before finally, a small smile came across his lips and tears began to build up in his eyes. "My Priests… my friends… you came over and waited by this door… just for me?"

"Why of course, my son." A voice suddenly spoke out, startling the Pharaoh of Games. He turned to see an older dignified man, with a gray mustache and beard and thick eyebrows, wearing a red robe and a royal headdress. By his side was a woman with black hair, her royal dress and crown naming her a queen. Atem gasped in recognition, feeling the familiar warmth and love that radiated from that couple. "When I found out that you were coming, we all had to come over and greet you." The older man said, and he held his arms wide open, tears of joy streaming down his gentle face. "Welcome home."

Atem's own tears started flowing down his cheeks, overwhelmed with a deep happiness. "Father… Mother…" he whispered. He took a few steps forward, before he reached out and embraced his father. Akhenamkhanen gladly returned the embrace, allowing his son to cry on his strong shoulder. "Father! Oh Father!" Atem cried, holding tight and not letting go, his tears of joy flowing like a river.

"Atem!" The queen gasped joyfully, "My sweet baby!" She reached out, and Atem, in turn, wrapped one arm around her so that he was now hugging both parents.

"Mother!" he cried, feeling the warmth of his mother's embrace. The priests were all smiling, and Isis and Mana couldn't help but say, "Awww!" at the sweet family reunion. There was a moment of comforting silence before Atem spoke again. "It… it has been 3000 years! I never realized how much I missed you! I had forgotten so much!"

"But you remember us now, right sweetie?" asked the queen.

"Yes… yes!" replied Atem, "I remember! I _**remember**_…!" He broke the embrace to face them, a smile shining as bright as the Sun Dragon Ra.

"I've heard of your accomplishments and of your adventures. Your mother and I are so proud of you!" Akhenamkhanen said, wiping his son's tears. Priest Seto came over at this time.

"Hello Cousin." Seto said, lifting a hand for Atem to shake.

"Hey, Seto!" Atem said, shaking the Priest's hand and giving him a brotherly hug. "I met up with your reincarnation."

"So I heard." Seto said with a playful smirk.

"This is cause for a great celebration!" Siamun said, raising his arms in praise. "We must prepare a feast in honor of this blessed homecoming!"

"An excellent idea, Siamun!" Akhenamkhanen replied, and he turned toward Atem, "Come Atem, let me show you around the Offering Fields as the gods prepare the festivities." The young Pharaoh's eyes widened in amazement.

"So the gods of Egypt really do know about my arrival!" he gasped in delight. The elder Pharaoh let out a joyful laugh,

"Of course!" he replied, "After all, you are but one of their children." He placed a hand on Atem's cheek, and a gentle smile curved upon his face. "And no matter where you were, and where you will be, they watched over you; they always have, and they always will." He lowered his hand. "Now, let's start the tour of your new home." Atem only gave a single nod in agreement.

* * *

For the tour, Atem went on a royal barge to travel down the main river in the Offering Fields. The sights he saw took his breath away. It was just like the Egypt he knew, only more perfect, more serene. The inhabitants of the Field attracted him even more so, for many had sprouted wings on their backs, and no doubt they were putting them to good use. "Amazing!" Atem said, "Does everyone in the Offering Field have wings like this?"

"Yes, my son." The queen said, "In fact, even **you** have wings."

Atem turned around in astonishment and said, "I do? Seriously?" He looked at his back and became confused. "But I don't see any wings on my back!" The queen giggled sweetly.

"They will appear only when you will it so. Since this is your first time using them, I can have one of the Priests help you if you want." She explained. Atem looked up and smiled.

"I see. Thank you." he said, and turned back to look back at the shores of the riverbank. That was when something caught his eye. There was a group of angel children playing a game of catch, and among them, was a small boy. He looked no older than the age of ten, with straight red hair and golden blonde bangs surprisingly shaped like his own. His eyes though, were as blue as the cloudless daytime sky. The clothes he wore are similar to Atem's royal attire, except that his chest was left bare, and his gold diadem had only the wadjet eye on the forehead. Atem watched the boy as he jumped up to catch the ball with one hand, using multicolored wings to boost his height. Then before he came back down, he quickly tossed the ball to another angel child. The whole time, he was all smiles and laughter, obviously having fun with friends. The young Pharaoh could not help but smile at the innocent scene before him.

"We will be approaching your new palace soon, my liege." Shada said, grabbing Atem's attention.

"Oh! Thank you Shada." Atem said, stepping towards his priest.

"I see you enjoy the sights of the Offering Fields so far." Shada replied with a smile. Atem simply looked back at the riverbank.

"After all that I had been through, I find this very refreshing." He said, "Perhaps one day I might be able to meet those children playing catch from over there." Shada looked over at the small group of children and for a brief moment, his eyes widened in recognition over one red-haired, blonde banged child in particular. Just as quickly, though, there was a thoughtful expression on his face. He said nothing however, and eventually looked forward toward his Pharaoh's destination: the palace that would become his new home.

* * *

There were cheers from all around as the ship made landfall. As Atem climbed out, several figures stepped forward and bowed. The young Pharaoh immediately realized that those were his shabtis, his personal wooden servants. "Welcome Master." They said, "Long ago we have already started on our duties, and now we gladly await any further commands you will give us." They then parted to let him pass. Followed by his six priests, Mana, and his parents, Atem strode down the path leading to his palace. The crowd gave their praises and the mood was joyous and festive. Upon reaching the large door, Akhenamkhanen stepped in front of his son and smiled.

"My son," he said, "Get ready to take your first look at your new palace. I'm sure you will love it." Then he placed a hand on the door and slowly pushed it open. Atem let out a gasp of wonder. It was just like his old palace back in the realm of mortals, but it was more… brilliant! There was gold, polished limestone, and semiprecious gems everywhere he looked. His eyes misted with tears of joy.

"Father… it's beautiful!" he said, and he hugged his father once again. "Thank you!"

Akhenamkhanen let out a hearty laugh, saying, "Go ahead and explore. I will send you an escort when the feast is ready." Atem gladly gave a single nod and walked off to do just that. Minutes passed by as he explored his new palace, until finally he saw a large doorway. There was sunlight shining from it, and he stepped over to investigate. Upon approaching the doorway, he was met with a glorious sight beyond it: the royal gardens. There were pools of clear clean water, some which contained lotus flowers of every color, and there were exotic desert flowers and trees, filling the air with a heavenly fragrance. Some of the trees were even bearing lucious fruits, like figs and dates.

"Beautiful!" Atem gasped in amazement. "This is more beautiful than I ever imagined!" He stepped through the doorway into that garden, marveling at the sights and sounds around him. He even lifted a delicate tree flower towards him, gently enough so that it did not snap from the branch. It gave out such a sweet scent; flowers in the world of the living just couldn't compare to it. "Oh, if only the gods could bring a sample of these flowers to the world of the living… Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu… they all should at least take a glimpse!" Moving on, he eventually came over to a pool with a cascading waterfall. The waters were so inviting, and he suddenly had the urge to take off his shoes and dip his feet in that pool. But before he even a chance to do so, a voice suddenly called to him.

"Atem? Is that you?" The voice was soft and melodious, but what astonished Atem most is that it sounded similar to Anzu. It was slightly deeper than Anzu's but it was still soprano nevertheless. It was this resemblance that made him look behind him. His eyes widened at what he saw. There, stepping out from behind a drooping tree branch was a beautiful young woman who looked just like Anzu! Heck, she even had her sky blue eyes! But immediately, he noticed the slight differences. Her skin was a tad darker than his own tan skin, revealing a bit of African decent. Her hair was also slightly longer than Anzu's, clustered into small braids, and practically reaching the bottom of her shoulder blades. And it was a bright crimson, a significant contrast to Anzu's light chocolate shade. She wore an Egyptian two-piece dress, the top of which was like the tube top Anzu wore prior to Battle City, only it was fine white linen. A bejeweled leather belt held up her dress, and sandals of gold leather adorned her feet. Her slender arms were adorned with golden armbands and wristbands, and a necklace inlaid with precious stones hung around her graceful neck. There were also large hoop earrings that hung from her ears, and the golden circlet she wore around the forehead held up an exotic ostrich feather on the left side. As Atem stared at the young woman before him, he was a small gasp as he gazed at her lovely face. The sides of her nose were a bit wider, and her red lips, a bit fuller. There was no mistaking it. That woman was a Nubian, an enemy of his people, the Egyptians. But she gave him a genuine expression of joy when she saw him, and slowly she stepped toward the young Pharaoh. "It **is** you Atem!" she gasped happily, "Oh, I have waited so long for you to come!" And she raised her arms, ready to embrace him.

Atem, however, had a look of confusion in his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked. The Nubian woman's smile faded upon hearing that question, turning into a look of utter shock, and her arms lowered. "What's a Nubian like you doing in the Offering Fields?" he asked, raising his voice, "And for that matter, how did you know my name?" The Nubian woman just stood there, a look of dismay etched upon her face. In fact, her lovely eyes were building up with tears. Seeing this, Atem immediately felt guilty. "I… I'm very sorry…" he said, his voice growing softer, "I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, you did no such thing" she said. She reached out and gently took hold of Atem's hand with both of her own. "I know your name, because I've known you for 3000 years. We really have met before Atem! Don't you remember me at all? Do you even know my name?"

Atem was astonished, but he tried to think back. He scanned over all the memories that he had recovered. "No…" was his simple reply.

The Nubian woman grew sad and let go of the young Pharaoh's hand. "I see…" she said, finally letting some tears flow down her cheeks. "So Ra was right when he said that you lost your memory of me."

"Lost… my memory… of you?" Atem said in astonishment, "But I don't understand. I clearly recall having all of my memories restored, and not a single one of them contains you! You do remind me of one of Yugi's friends though."

"You mean Anzu Mazaki?" she said in a matter of fact sort of way.

"Y-yes!" he gasped, "How did you know--"

The Nubian woman simply let out a small giggle. "I'll tell you later." She soon became serious, "But let me ask you this. Do you **really** remember everything? Please, try to recall all of those memories again. Tell them to me."

Atem let out a sigh as he did just that. "Well, I clearly recall the memories of my childhood." He began, "I remember the day Mother died and went to this place. On that day, there were enough tears to fill a river. On the other hand, I especially remember the times I used to hide in those large vases with Mana. Heh heh, Father often got frustrated at me for that!" There was a pause, before he spoke again. "Then, there's the day after I turned fourteen, before Father grew sick and passed into these very Offering Fields, and before I inherited the throne and this Millennium Puzzle. Isis told me that there was going to be a banquet in Nubia, through the powers of her Millennium Tauk, and in that very same vision, she saw me there. So accompanied by Mahado and Shada, I went to Nubia to take part in this banquet, mostly to satisfy my curiosity about this place. I was amazed at how much Egyptian culture they adopted. The Nubian King hosting the banquet even had his own palace in the design of Egypt! Mahado and I decided to explore the corridors and…" Atem stopped suddenly, and there was shock to be seen in his eyes.

"And what?" asked the Nubian woman. "What happened?"

'Oh Ra!" Atem whispered, and he clutched his forehead as a horror suddenly dawned on him. "I really **don't** remember everything…! There was this point when I came across this curtain coving a room of some kind, and I recall some voices from behind it. But just when I get to that point when I was about to see what was behind it, it suddenly became… blank! Next thing I know, I was lying in a bed in the hospital wing of my palace. I… I can't remember what happened between those times! It's as though there was a gap in my memories."

The Nubian woman put a hand on his shoulder. "Had you won the Rite of the Duel, you would have never discovered that gap. But there is a way to fill it. And once it is filled, only then will you truly feel whole." Atem stared into the eyes of that woman, and for some reason he can't explain, he found himself blushing.

"Your Majesty!" a voice called out from the entrance of the garden. "Your father has summoned you to the banquet hall. The homecoming feast is ready."

"Oh, yes, I'm coming!" he said. He started to run out, but the young Nubian woman took hold of his hand. She too was blushing, but there was a serene smile.

"We'll meet again Atem." she said, and she made her departure, leaving the young Pharaoh stunned.

_Her hands…_ he thought in realization, _Her hands are warm! And her voice seems to caress my spine! Even her eyes seem to shine like the rays of Ra in his Sun Dragon form!_ He blushed even more furiously now. _I'm dead, and yet my heart is fluttering! Like it… recognizes her in some way. What is it about this Nubian that makes me feel this way?_

"Pharaoh Atem!" the escort called again, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Oh right! I'm coming!" he said and he immediately rushed out of the garden to meet with his escort. A smile came across his face as a thought suddenly came to him. _Maybe I'm beginning to understand how my partner Yugi feels about Anzu._

Note: That's it with the first chapter. As you might have noticed, I actually did some research on Ancient Egyptian culture and stuff, and yes Nubians really did exist back then! Anyway, in the next chapter, Atem decides to confront his father about the gap in his memory. With it comes a shocking revelation, but luckily, and Egyptian god has the key to restoring what was lost. And who exactly is this Nubian woman who looks like Anzu? Oh, while you're waiting, check out some of my other stories too! Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Hi there everyone! I've managed to finally update "For the Love of Geb and Nut"! Sheesh, my muses are getting lazy on me, especially on "Blue Eyes White Mermaid", and they're making the hurdles of writer's block ever harder to jump over! AARGH! But at least I managed to squeeze some creative juice on this story. So here's the newest chapter of my post-Yu-Gi-Oh manga story! Enjoy!

Chapter 2: The Feast of Myrrh

Atem followed his escort down the halls, never losing sight of him. Yet the whole time, it was his mind that was wandering. He just couldn't get that Nubian woman out of his head. _What's happening to me? The more I think about her, the more familiar she seems to me, and not just for her resemblance to Anzu._ Once again, he finds himself blushing. _She's a Nubian!_ He reminded himself, _She's supposed to be an enemy of Egypt, my enemy! So why? Why do I feel… warmth… and __**love**__ towards her?_ Atem momentarily clutched his forehead, letting out a frustrated sigh. _How is that even possible? I've never even met her before!_ He suddenly lifts his head up, his eyes widening. _Or… have I?!_

"My liege, we have arrived." The escort announced, interrupting the Pharaoh's train of thought. It seems that they have made it to the banquet hall faster than he expected.

"Oh! Uh, thank you." Atem replied. The shabti guards standing out in front slowly opened the doors. As the young Pharaoh stepped through, he was amazed at the sight before him. There were several tables, and at each table many royal guests sat waiting, along with all their Ka monsters. Some were priests and priestesses, like the ones that served Atem in life, others were nobles, and still others were peasants invited to the homecoming celebration. What amazed him the most were the guests seated at one large table in particular: There sat the Gods of Egypt, and the long line of pharaohs, from his ancestors all the way to, possibly, his descendants. When all the guests saw Atem, they all gave a round of applause, and many even cheered for him. One female pharaoh in particular stood up with a smile, grabbing Atem's curiosity. For some reason, she reminded him of his father, Akhenamkhanen.

"Welcome home, Atem!" she said as the young Pharaoh approached, "I take it this is the first time we've met. I am Hatshepsut, and your father and uncle are my grandsons."

"Hatshepsut…" Atem repeated, before his eyes widened in surprise, "So… you're my great-grandmother?"

"Yes." She replied kindly, "Your grandfather, Thutmosis III, was my stepson. He married my daughter, who in turn became your grandmother. Now come. Your parents await you." Atem looked over, and was surprised to see a young couple sitting by the chair that he was to sit in. They too looked awfully familiar, but somehow, he couldn't put his finger on it.

The young woman looked up and gave a smile that reminded him of his mother. Atem stared for a moment at her, before he realized to his amazement that the woman before him **is** his mother, in adolescent form! And he had to admit, she was just as pretty as she was when he was a child, and when he met her at the entrance to the Offering Fields. But who is her companion? Slowly, he stepped toward the young man, who looked slightly like himself.

"Uh, hello…" Atem said, with an obvious look of confusion on his face. "Do I know you?"

The young man let out a hearty laugh, then replied, "Why, of course you do my son! You just don't recognize me with this young body, that's all." Once again, a look of surprise was etched on Atem's face.

"Father?!"

The young man, who turned out to be a rejuvenated Akhenamkhanen, gave a friendly smirk and a wink. "That's right, my boy! When I came to the Offering Fields, the gods granted me the ability to become young again."

"That's amazing Father!" Atem said, "But why didn't you show me this when I got here?"

"Well, if you saw me like this when you went through the door to the Offering Field, you might have thought of me as a stranger."

There was a small moment of silence before Atem replied, "That's a good point."

"Well, be that as it may, come sit by me and Seto. It's time we get reacquainted." Akhenamkhanen said, offering his son a seat. Atem was more than happy to oblige, and he took his seat between his father and his cousin, who smirked playfully. With that, the Homecoming Feast began. There were shabti serving girls bringing in platters full of delicious fruit that could not be seen in the world of mortals. There was music in the air, and a troupe of acrobatic dancers displayed their talent for all to witness. Yet even in the midst of the celebration, Atem's thoughts were filled with the events that took place in his new royal garden. The discovery that he had a gap in his memories was indeed very disturbing to him. Finally, he decided talk to his father about it.

"Father?" he said, leaning towards him.

Akhenamkhanen turned around from chatting with Hatshepsut to face him. "Yes, what do you want?"

Atem swallowed hard, before saying, "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Go on." Akhenamkhanen said kindly.

"There's this girl I've met in my new garden…A Nubian girl to be exact." Atem explained hesitantly, "Just a few minutes ago, she revealed to me that there was this empty… gap in my memories." No sooner had those words come out of his lips, than his father's eyes widened in shock, then immediately grew sad. "Father…" Atem said, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No." he said. He let out a sigh, bowing his head before he spoke. "I've been meaning to tell you this as soon as you got to the Offering Fields. But it seems that you've already met her. I know about that Nubian woman. And I also know all about the missing piece of your memories. I know… because I was the one who erased them against your will."

"W-what?!" Atem stuttered in utter shock. "You **erased** a piece of my memories?!" Even Priest Seto was shocked at what he heard.

"At that time, I was filled with fear and anger!" Akhenamkhanen said, his tears streaming down his eyes, "The memories that filled the gap in your mind are all of that Nubian woman, and the events that have her involved."

Atem stared at his father in utter disbelief. _Oh mother of Ra!_ He thought, _So that woman and I really have met before!_ "How could you?" he said, his hurt expression mixed with a hint of growing anger, "Father, how could you do this to me?!"

"I deserve to feel your wrath, my son." Akhenamkhanen said, "Ever since the day I erased that piece of your memories, my heart is filled with regret. And I still have that regret… even to this day." Atem's anger quickly subsided at those words, and at the anguish seen on Akhenamkhanen's face. "By now Atem, you know about how the seven Millennium Items were created with the slaughter of an entire village." The old Pharaoh continued, "The guilt I felt for my inadvertent contribution was terrible enough; that was why I fell ill in life. But when my regret for robbing you of your precious memories added to the already heavy weight on my shoulders, well… that was what ultimately quickened my demise."

"Well what happened that made you erase a piece of Atem's memories in the first place?!" Seto exclaimed angrily.

"Seto stop, Father has gone through enough suffering already." Atem said, before turning his attention back to his father. "Is there any way I can have those memories restored?"

The old Pharaoh lifted his head to face his son. "I had hoped that I could help you undo what I have done, but I fear that I may have destroyed those memories completely."

"Well, fear no more Akhenamkhanen." A voice called from within the banquet hall, and everyone turned around to see the falcon-headed sun god, Ra, standing up from his seat.

"Mighty Ra!" Pharaoh Atem gasped.

"Atem, I am happy to tell you that soon you will truly become whole." Ra said with a smile, "I have managed to save all the memories that your father had erased, and I have protected them up until this very day. And now, my son, the time has come for you to retrieve the memories that you have lost so long ago." He walked away from the table before he turned around and said, "Come with me." The young Pharaoh of Games looked over to Akhenamkhanen, who nodded in encouragement. So Atem slowly stood up, and followed his god toward a small shrine near by the door. There was an equally small treasure chest resting on top of the altar, made in the style of the chest that held the Millennium Puzzle. Atem stared in curiosity as Ra took out a circular scarab amulet from his pouch and inserted it into the center hole. Light briefly surrounded the amulet, and it turned until the chest made a clicking sound. Slowly, the lid of the chest opened. The sun god reached inside, and carefully took out what looked like a crystal ball resting upon a tall, thin trunk of a platinum tree, inlaid with vines of gold and emeralds shaped like leaves. Inside the crystal ball was a sparkling, turquoise colored liquid that seemed to glow with its own light. The liquid filled the crystal ball only halfway. He held the object for Atem to see, saying, "This is for you."

"But what is it?" Atem asked. Imagine his amazement when the top half of the crystal ball opened up like a blossoming lotus flower and shrank until it reached near the liquid. Immediately, Atem realized that the object Ra was holding was actually a chalice. But what is the liquid inside that chalice?

As if he read his mind, Ra replied, "This, Atem, is your lost memories. Their very essence is distilled into this liquid form, which we call myrrh."

"Myrrh…" Atem repeated.

"In the world of mortals, you had to go through hardship and suffering just to restore all the other memories you lost upon shattering the Millennium Puzzle, including that of your own name. And in the process of it all, you had to battle against great evil." The sun god continued, "But rest assured, restoring **this** lost piece of your memory will be much different from all that." He handed the chalice over to the young Pharaoh, who was careful not to spill a single drop. "In fact, it is actually quite simple. All you have to do is drink the myrrh it has become."

"That's it?" Atem said in disbelief.

"Of course." Ra replied with a small chuckle, but he soon became serious. "But I must make it clear to you that once you consume the myrrh, it will take a while before you will be able to recall all the memories it contains, for when they resurface, it will be one piece at a time, and not all at once."

Atem stared at the myrrh within his chalice. _One piece at a time…_ he thought, _It really __**does**__ sound like it will take some time. But since I __**am**__ getting those memories back…_ He looked back up at his god and said, "It is definitely worth the wait."

"Then drink." Ra commanded calmly. Slowly, Atem raised the brim of the chalice to his lips and eagerly did just that. He drank just as slowly, allowing the myrrh to travel over his tongue before it slid down his throat. It tasted of sweet spring water and bitter dry wine all at the same time. Finally, he had emptied the chalice of every last drop of myrrh. Ra smiled. "Now, head over to a fountain located outside your palace, close to your gardens. A certain Nubian maiden is waiting for you." At the very mention of that Nubian girl, Atem's cheeks once again turned as red as a beet.

"Y-yes of course, Sun Dragon. If that is your wish…" He replied rather timidly. He took a few steps back, before he turned around and left the Banquet hall, blushing furiously the whole time.

Seto smirked at the sight of his cousin. "I think Hathor's got him bad." He said, before he let out a wistful sigh. "It brings back memories for me as well… namely of Kisara, my first love." It didn't take long before a few tears trickled down his cheeks. Even though she is with him now, the memory of Kisara's death by his father's hand still has a way of breaking his heart.

It was a tragedy even Akhenamkhanen knew too well. He put a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "I understand your pain." He said, "For although you do not realize it, although he doesn't remember it yet… Atem went through a tragedy that is, in every way, similar to yours. I should have helped to heal his broken heart. I should have helped him cope with his loss! But instead, I erased the memories of that girl; it was the worst mistake I have ever made in my life, for in doing so, I placed upon his heart a deep scar that did not truly heal, even though his pain was made numb!" He paused for a moment, before he let out a sigh and looked toward his son. "This is why I am so glad that he is going to get his memories back. After 3000 years, I believe it is time to finally heal his wounded heart… the way it should have been healed."

Note: When Atem meets up with Anzu's past self, the memories begin to return... and so the story of their love also begins. BTW, since Atem is revealed to be a Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty in the manga, I made the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut his great-grandmother in this story! It makes tons of sense to me. Anyway, it's time for me to once again make an attempt to overcome this writer's block... especially with "Blue Eyes White Mermaid" and "Plasmashock" as well as for this tale. At least I got help with "Plasmashock"... Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Yahoo! I'm starting to make some progress with "For the Love of Geb and Nut"! Now I get to upload chapter 3! Now you will get to witness the beginning of Atem and Past Anzu's love story! So without further ado, Enjoy!

BTW, when you see this-- ///////////-- it means that there is a part of the story that is in flashback mode, which is much different from the usual bold lettering I use in other stories. Why? Because in this story, Atem's emerging memories are a very huge part of this story!

Chapter 3: Memory of a First Meeting

It was already nighttime in the Offering Fields when Atem stepped out into the royal gardens. The flowers, trees and fruits all seemed to glow with a soft light, lighting up the night along with the stars in the navy blue sky. Atem marveled at the sight, which he could only describe as breathtakingly beautiful. "This is even more beautiful than the gardens of the mortal realm." He said to himself. Even so, he did not linger long in his trance. "I can't stay long though." he reminded himself. "She is waiting for me." He looked around, until finally he saw what he was looking for… a walkway made of polished limestone leading outside. The sides of the path were lined with pink lotus blossoms, each with a small glowing ball in the center. The glow was as bright as a candle flame, lighting up the walkway as if to guide him. He followed this lengthy path, looking around the garden as he did so. Yet as he stepped closer and closer to the pillars that marked the boundary, he could feel his heart beating faster and faster, and his cheeks turning warm and red. Finally he went past the pillars and saw that the path was leading to another garden close to his palace. A cluster of palm trees surrounded this garden, and from a distance, he could hear the rush of what sounds like a waterfall. "This must be the fountain that Ra was talking about!" Atem said to himself. Keeping within the path, the young Pharaoh of Games rushed toward the garden, but eventually slowed his pace as he approached the palm trees. By then, his heart was beating so quickly with excitement that he had to stop in order to compose himself. He took several deep breaths. Then, as soon as he felt calm enough, he went through the palm trees into the garden beyond. Atem couldn't help but gasp at what he saw. In the center was a large pool of crystal clear water, an oasis larger than even the largest pool in his royal garden. Light blue lotus blossoms were floating on the watery surface, and a waterfall was indeed flowing from atop a natural hill. Because it was night, fireflies were floating everywhere he looked. There was no doubt in his mind that the fountain oasis outdid his royal garden in tranquility. But all of this could not compare to the most beautiful sight of all.

Namely, the enchanting Nubian woman who bore a strong resemblance to Anzu Mazaki.

She was standing in the water, which reached below her knees and soaked the hem of her long dress. Her sandals were put to the side, and she was staring upward at the stars, her back facing toward the young Pharaoh. He must admit, she was heavenly… just like the angel she is. Just as he started to step toward her, however, she turned around to face him, as if she had somehow sensed his presence. And she smiled at him. "Hello again." she said.

That did it. Once again, Atem's cheeks were turning as red as a beet, and his heart started pounding with joy, though he still had yet to understand why. "H-hello." He managed to stutter.

The Nubian woman simply sat down on the side, patting her hand on the smooth stone. "Please." She said, "Come sit by me." The young Pharaoh said nothing, staring only at the young woman. Slowly, he stepped towards her. The pool became more inviting as he came closer, until finally, when he reached the Nubian woman, he could resist it no longer. He took off his shoes and placed them to the side, close to the young woman's sandals. Then, as he sat down close to her, he dipped his feet into the water. It was cool to the touch, and very soothing. The air all around the two of them was filled with the scent of the pool's lotus blossoms, and Atem breathed in deeply to take it in, even though he no longer had a need to actually breathe. The Nubian woman took hold of his hand. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes… it is." Atem said, blushing at the sight of her.

The Nubian woman giggled a bit, before she said, "So Atem, did you drink it?"

"Drink what?" Atem asked.

"Why, the myrrh, silly!" she replied.

"Oh! Yes, I drank the myrrh!" Atem said, "It'll be a while before I can recall **all** of my lost memories, though."

"Take your time, then." The Nubian woman said kindly, "Start at the beginning, when you came to the banquet at Nubia."

Atem looked down at the lotus blossoms floating on the water by his feet. "All right, the beginning…" There was a smile on his face, as though he was entering a daydream, and the Nubian woman leaned forward to listen. "When Isis told me of her vision, I immediately became curious about the country of Nubia, even though I knew that it was enemy territory. So I had asked Shada and Mahado to accompany me in my journey. We had to wear plain robes over our royal garb to hide our Egyptian identities. I still remember the first time I saw the palace of Nubia. It was night time, and the skies were clear and bright…"

////////////////////////

"Is **this** the palace of Nubia?" Prince Atem asked the two priests as they got off their horses and tied the bridles to a nearby tree. "It looks just like what you would find in Egypt!"

"Yes my prince." Shada said, "I have often heard that this country has adopted many aspects of Egypt's culture, due in part to the Medjay that patrol the streets."

"It's ironic, isn't it?" Mahado said sullenly, clutching his Millennium Ring from underneath his cloak, "Nubia has often looked upon us with favor, and yet we remain such bitter enemies…"

"Well, let's put all of those thoughts aside." Atem suggested, "Let's go in and explore."

"As you wish." Mahado replied. The threesome passed through the entrance. Since they were wearing plain peasant robes over their royal clothes, the Nubian guards paid them no heed and just let them pass.

"These men guarding the entrance," Atem whispered to Shada, "Their skin is much darker than ours… Their noses are wider, and their lips are fuller… they remind me of the Medjay. Is that what a Nubian looks like? Fascinating…"

"Fascinating or not, you mustn't let your guard down." Shada whispered back. "Like the people in our kingdom, the Nubians possess their own Ka monsters, and some of them are as powerful as the gods of Egypt." Atem nodded and they moved onward. Everywhere he looked, the Prince was in awe, for there were wall paintings depicting scenes of Nubian kings from the past. But what he saw ahead of him captured his fancy. The banquet was in full swing, with tables piled with several platters filled with fruits, meats and other delicacies. The room was filled with music, and acrobatic dancing girls leaped and flipped to the delight of a large audience. And upon the throne sat the King of Nubia himself, a muscular man with graying, tightly braided hair. And he was enjoying the banquet just as much as his guests. Atem was amused by the spectacle himself, as it made him feel close to home. But he was just as eager to continue his exploration of the palace. He was especially curious about the corridors nearby.

_I wonder what could be found in those halls…_ Atem thought to himself, _Guess there's only one way to find out._ So without Mahado and Shada looking, the Prince sneaked away toward one of the corridors. He had barely gotten out of sight, though, when Shada glanced over and saw him. With a gasp of shock, he shook Mahado on the shoulder to get his attention. "Mahado!" He quietly said to his fellow priest, "The Prince is sneaking into corridors without us!"

"What?!" Mahado gasped.

"Go follow him!" Shada said, "Bring him back here before he risks exposing himself to the enemy!"

"Of course!" Mahado replied, and he rushed toward Atem in a flash, unseen by all the Nubian guests. Atem had turned a corner, so when Mahado reached the end of the hall, the Prince was nowhere to be seen, much to the priest's frustration. "Ugh! Prince Atem, where are you?!"

Meanwhile, Atem was looking around the halls, marveling at the decorations. _Amazing._ he thought, _In all my life, I never imagined that my culture could be such a great influence…_ his expression became a bitter frown. _But still, Nubia is the enemy of Egypt. Even though the Medjay had brought many benefits to my kingdom, the other inhabitants this country in general are not to be trusted._ Suddenly, there was a noise ringing into the Prince's ears. Startled at first, he looked around. There was no one around, but the noise still echoed in the hall. Curious, he decided to follow the strange noise. He listened carefully as he did so, making sure that he did not lose track of it. Eventually, the noise became louder and louder, and it turned out to be quite pleasant. He followed, until finally, he reached a large opening, covered by satin curtains. This made him even more curious than before, because whoever or whatever was behind that curtain was the source of the noise. Slowly, he reached out and took hold of the curtain…

///////////////////

Atem paused in his story. He clutched his forehead in frustration. "I still don't know what happened next…"

"Take your time Atem. Don't rush." The Nubian woman said. "Since you drank the myrrh, there is no doubt that those memories will return to you… just be patient." Atem just rubbed his forehead. Suddenly, he lifted his hand away, and in eyes widened as if in inspiration. "Atem?" the Nubian woman asked, "What is it? Is something--"

"Wait!" Atem interrupted, and after a small moment of silence, he started to smile. "I… I'm starting to remember!"

The Nubian woman let out a gasp of joy, "Are you really?"

"Yes!" Atem gasped, "The noise I heard… it was the laughter of women! They drew me toward that curtain door!"

"Well what did you see when you pulled it back?" she asked.

Atem paused, before finally, he said, "I saw…"

///////////////////

Slowly, the Prince pulled back the curtain. And as the light spilled into the darkness, Atem was amazed at what he saw. There, right in front of him, were large groups of young Nubian girls ranging from twelve to eighteen, many of whom were very lovely, and from what Atem could tell, they all seemed to be the best of friends. They were helping each other put on makeup, combing and braiding each other's hair, chatting almost nonstop to each other, all having a good time preparing to join the other guests at the banquet. For some reason, Atem found this spectacle quite delightful. Perhaps it reminded him even more of Egypt. After looking over the women some more, he was about to move on when suddenly something soft and fuzzy rubbed gently against his leg. That something let out a soft meow, and he looked down. It was a small white cat, looking as pretty as it can be. It was wearing a collar of gold, ruby and sapphire, and it purred as it rubbed against Atem's left leg. Now, in Egypt (and to an extent, Nubia), cats are revered and worshipped, and just about everyone loves cats. And Atem was no exception. He smiled at the feline, bending down to pet it. The cat happily accepted the Prince's stroking, then rushed away toward the girls. Atem stood up, but did not move from his spot. Instead, he watched the cat run, until it finally let out a cute meow and rubbed against the leg of one woman in particular, one who Atem saw had a beautiful skirt reaching her ankles, and had golden sandals adorned on her lovely feet. That was when she spoke, and in the sweetest voice he had ever heard. "Oh, there you are Benu!" A pair of slender arms reached out and picked up the cat. Atem's eyes followed, and what he saw took his breath away. This Nubian woman was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen! In fact, she looked just like a goddess! From the jewelry she was wearing, there's no doubt that she came from a high status family, but it was not the material wealth that caught his eye. The woman had a thin build, and her red hair, reaching to her shoulder blades and made up of several small clusters of braids, cascaded around her lovely face as she brought her cat up and placed it on her lap. Eyes as blue as the daytime sky danced with joy, and she smiled as the cat stretched its paws out toward her. She let out a joyful giggle, and said, "Bet you're hungry, aren't you?" As if in reply, the cat snuggled against her, earning another joyful giggle from the woman. For Atem, the cat was no longer the focal point. Somehow, he just could not take his eyes off of that woman. Soon another woman called to her.

"Princess! Princess, come quick!"

_Princess?!_ Atem thought in astonishment as the woman looked up in response. _She's a princess?!_ "What is it? What's wrong?" the Nubian Princess asked in concern, standing up from her seat.

"Oh, Princess," the other woman said, "It's my son! I need you to help my son!" Soon a little boy, no older than three, limped into view. He was crying, no doubt from pain. His right knee was covered in a bandage, but it didn't stop the small trickle of blood. "He was running outside the palace when he fell down and scraped his knee." The mother explained. "I dressed the wound, but I don't have any medicine to treat it further than that." The Nubian Princess knelt down to his height, and examined the boy's knee. Carefully, she removed the bandage.

"Oh, did you hurt yourself?" she asked sincerely. With a small whimper, the little boy nodded. The Nubian Princess smiled at him. "Well don't worry. It's nothing I couldn't fix." She then pulled a chest out from under her seat, and took out some clean dressing and a paste made from medicinal herbs. She applied the paste onto the boy's knee, then carefully wrapped the dressing over it. "There!" she said once the bandage was secured, "Does that feel better now?"

"Yeah!" the boy said, and he started to smile.

"What do you say?" The mother asked her son.

"Thank you…" he replied shyly.

"You're welcome!" replied the Nubian Princess as she reached out to tickle his ribs, earning a giggle from the child.

All the while, Atem was watching this sweet scene, and indeed, he was amazed. Not only is this Princess of Nubia beautiful in figure and face, she also possesses a kind heart, and a gentle soul. His cheeks started turning a deep red, and his heart started beating fast, as if it were dancing with joy. And in spite of himself, he smiled at the Princess. "Prince Atem!" Mahado's voice called out, rudely interrupting the Prince's reverie. He turned his head to the right, and sure enough, there was Mahado, rushing toward him with a frustrated look on his face. "Prince Atem! I've been looking all over for you! Stop being a pervert over there and get back to the main hall, right now!"

"A-all right Mahado!" Atem said, "I'm coming!" Now, when he spoke those words, he made sure that it was loud enough for the priest to hear him, but quiet enough so that the Nubian women would not be alerted of his presence. And indeed, as Atem made his hasty departure, all the girls continued their activities without even knowing that he was there.

All, that is, except one.

Apparently, the Prince of Egypt wasn't as quiet as he thought he was, for of all the girls in the whole room, only the Princess heard his voice. She looked up in astonishment, and in an instant, she caught a glimpse of the handsome young man at the door, the hood on his cloak flying off his head as he left. In an instant, he was gone… but already, she was spellbound. "What is it Princess?" the mother asked in curiosity.

"Oh, nothing." The Nubian Princess quickly replied. But even as she went back to playing with the little boy, her mind was filled with the fleeting image of that young man. _Oh, he's so handsome!_ She thought, _Who is he? I wonder if I can see him again…_

Meanwhile, Atem had met up with Priest Mahado, pulling his hood up before the enemy could identify him. "Good." Mahado said, "Now let's go." Atem nodded, and together they made their way back to the dining hall. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not get the Nubian Princess out of his mind. His heart was beating so fast that he put his hand on his heart and took some deep breaths in an attempt to calm it down. And suddenly, it dawned on him. He now knows exactly what was happening to him.

He has fallen in love with the Nubian Princess… and it was love at first sight.

////////////////////

Atem stared at the Nubian woman in front of him, and his eyes widened in amazement as he finally recognized her. "It was you!" he said, "You're the princess I saw behind that curtain door! And you… you are the one who captured my heart!"

The Nubian Princess smiled at Atem and took hold of his hand, tears of joy streaming down he eyes. "Yes! Yes! You finally remember! You're starting to remember me again!"

"You know… looking back now, you are just as beautiful 3000 years ago as you are today!" Atem said, feeling his own joyful tears building in his eyes.

"Do you remember my name yet?" asked the Princess.

"No, not yet." Atem admitted. "But I will soon enough."

"And it makes me so happy." The Nubian Princess said, "Because on that day, you captured my heart as well."

Note: I'm using some historical reference in this story so that it would make some more sense in the timeline. The Medjay are Nubian mercenaries who are hired to be the Ancient Egypt equivalent of a police force. They're especially on guard for tomb robbers... I think that the Thief Bakura used his Ka to slay some of the Medjay before he even entered Akhenamkhanen's tomb... Anyway, yes, Anzu's past self is indeed that of a Nubian Princess! So what is the true name of the Past Anzu in this tale? You'll find out in the next chapter of this story, but I'll give you a little hint. It's not Teana; I chose to give her a different name in this story. This IS based on the **manga**, after all. Until next time!


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Hi there! I've finally finished the next chapter of For the Love of Geb and Nut! And here's some more good news: I'm almost over that hurdle of overcoming the writer's block for Blue Eyes White Mermaid! I figured that with my pace, it may be a short chapter when it's done and uploaded. I'm terrible when it comes to thinking up fight scenes... :P Anyway, you finally get to learn the name of the Nubian Princess, and it follows what I think is a funny scene involving Atem and a pair of shoes. Well, you know me when it comes to feet. So enjoy the story!

Chapter 4: The Name of the Princess

Atem stared long into the sky-blue eyes of the Nubian Princess, his own crimson eyes shining with love. "Love at first sight…" he sighed contentedly before he turned to look at their oasis. "Hathor must have blessed us both."

The Princess also gave a blissful sigh, looking at the fireflies dancing above the water. "Indeed she has." She replied, "I know I'm going ahead of myself, but this oasis fountain brings back so many happy memories."

Atem once again let out a gasp of revelation. "Speaking of memories…"—he quickly turned back toward his love—"It's… it's happening again! Another memory is filling the gap!"

The Nubian Princess faced her love in excitement. "It is?" she gasped in joy, "Then please tell me! Tell me what happened next! I'll even help you out a bit, because from here, it is our story."

The young Pharaoh smiled. "When we met back at that room," he began, "I admit, it was a brief moment. You didn't know that I saw you; I didn't know that you saw me. But as it turns out, Hathor herself seemed determined to bring us closer together…"

////////////////////

"You had us worried Prince Atem!" Shada said to the Prince when he returned with Mahado. "If Mahado had not found you, you would have exposed your identity and had yourself captured by the enemy, or worse killed! Please don't run off like that again without telling us!"

"Forgive me Shada." Atem ruefully apologized. "I should have asked for your permission, but my impatient curiosity got the better of me."

"Well make sure you don't let it happen again." Mahado scolded. "After all, your father doesn't know that we're taking part in this venture. If you fell into Nubian hands and he finds out about it, he would be devastated!" The three of them had just made their approach to the pillars marking the outside, probably to witness the party from a different view, when Atem started to wince. You see, the shoes he happened to be wearing may seem like his size, but in truth, he had just outgrown them a few days ago. He couldn't help it; he had just turned fourteen, the age when an Egyptian man was considered an adult. And by now, his shoes have become painfully tight, much to his displeasure.

"Ouch!" Atem hissed quietly. Of course, Mahado and Shada immediately took notice of their future Pharaoh's pain.

"What's wrong, my liege?" Mahado asked respectfully.

"Nothing Mahado." Atem replied, "It's just that my feet are killing me…"

"Those shoes **are** starting to get tight on you." Shada mused as he looked down. "Not to worry, I'll see to it that you get some new pairs that fit you once we return to Egypt."

"Thank you Shada." Atem said before hissing in pain once again. "If you don't mind, I think I'll go find an oasis to ease the pain, one that a Nubian could not find. I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave."

"Be careful then." Mahado replied. And with that Atem took a torch and went off by himself to look for a pool of crystal clear water to dip his feet in. Mahado sighed, "He really is growing up, isn't he Shada?"

"Indeed he is." Shada agreed. "How quickly the years have passed."

* * *

As Atem continued to walk, his shoes seemed to become tighter and tighter, and his feet were becoming very sore. "There has to be an oasis around here somewhere… Where could it be?" he sighed. Once again he gasped, then hissed in pain. For a brief moment, he looked down at his feet. "Great… If **this** keeps up, I might never walk again." The Prince had barely taken three more steps, before suddenly there it was! A pool of clear clean water reflected the moon dotted with light blue lotus flowers. It was complete with a beautiful garden and a waterfall cascaded from a natural fountain. "Finally!" he said in relief, and he quickly went towards the pool.

At the same time, the Nubian Princess was strolling out of the palace from another direction, and making her way to that very same pool. Her mind was filled with the image of that handsome young man whom she had glimpsed briefly. _That man…_ she thought, _I can't get him out of my head! But then again, I don't want him to go away._ Because of the very thoughts that had filled her head, she had excused herself from the banquet in order to travel to the oasis fountain. This fountain was special to her, because no one else in her kingdom knows about it, not even her father. Here, she would have time for herself, time to relax, time to escape from her everyday life, if only for a moment. This was one of those moments. Finally, after a few minutes of walking, the fountain came into view. But this time, there was something different. Someone else was entering her oasis. Someone wrapped in a cloak. At first, she was shocked. Had someone in her kingdom found out about her secret place? Using some palm trees for cover, the Princess crept in for a closer look. Her eyes widened in amazement. It was him! The man she saw back at the palace! Her heart leapt in joy.

After putting down his torch, Atem looked around to see if anyone had followed him. From what he could see, there was no one. "Good." he said to himself, "It's all clear." Slowly, he removed his cloak. He took the hood of his regal head, then let the cloak slip off his shoulders, revealing his royal glory. The Nubian Princess watched the disrobing, unseen from the palm trees in the dark of night. She was surprised to see that the man was dressed all in royal garb from under the plain robes, but what took her aback was the style of those clothes, an original style that exposed him for what he really is.

_An Egyptian!_ She thought, _That must mean he's an enemy of Nubia! _Her heart was beating fast, but amazingly, it was not out of fear. _I know I'm supposed to hate him, but I find no reason to do so. Somehow, I don't see him as an enemy, even though he is from Egypt._ She eagerly continued to watch as the Egyptian sat down upon a nearby rock and prepared to take off his shoes.

Atem lifted his left foot, and took hold of the tight shoe that was clinging to it. He tugged with one hand. It seemed to cling to his skin, as if it did not want to move. He tried again, using the other hand to grip the toe side of the shoe. Still, his dismay, the shoe would not come off. The prince growled in frustration as he stared at that foot. "Damn! These shoes must be tighter than I thought!" He took the sides of his shoe with his thumbs, and after struggling to tug them apart, he stuffed his thumbs inside. With a loud growl through his teeth, he pulls the shoe with all his strength. Bit by bit, the shoe began to inch downward from the heel, rubbing against the skin on the side of his foot. Then suddenly, it finally released its grip on his left foot. The Prince, of course, did not expect this success, and he abruptly lets go. The next thing he knew, he was staring blankly at his left shoe, which was swinging back and forth from its position on his toes. It was a rather silly sight, and he started blushing. _I am so glad that no one is around to watch this!_ he thought as he lifted the shoe off his foot and threw it to the side. He wiggled his toes for a bit, savoring the freedom he gave to his left foot. But he sighed as he put it down. "Well, time for the other shoe."

If only he knew! The Nubian Princess couldn't help but smile at the sight. It's not everyday she gets to see a nobleman like this one in such an awkward position. It was actually quite refreshing, not to mention cute!

Atem now lifted his right foot, and went to work on removing the other shoe. He tugged as hard as he could. When it didn't budge, he tried again. It was no good. His right shoe seemed to be even tighter than his left! Now he was truly exasperated, and in desperation he picked up a stick and stuck it into his shoe in order to pry it off! "Come on, COME ON!" Atem barked in frustration as he thrust the stick like a lever over and over, "LET GO OF MY FOOT, WILL YOU?!" The Princess tried her very best not to laugh, but as the spectacle continued it was getting harder to resist. Then suddenly the stick broke! The Prince stared at the broken stick in utter shock. "Oh Mother of Ra, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" he whined as he threw it down. In one last desperate attempt, he grabbed the shoe and pulled with all his strength. It moved inch by inch… until finally, the shoe flew off like a cork from a wine bottle. But as it turns out, the force behind it made him lose his balance. Atem waved his arms wildly, but it was in vain. "WHOOAAA!!" The next thing he knew, he had fallen backward off the rock, right onto his back!

As the scene unfolded before her, the Nubian Princess could hold it in no longer. It was so hilarious, and so refreshing! She let out a stream of laughter. At the same time, her fondness for the young Egyptian man grew even stronger. She watched as Atem kicked himself back up into a sitting position.

"Finally! Freedom!" Atem rejoiced in triumph. He stood up, and went over to pick up the shoes he had removed. Clutching the shoes by the heels he glared at them and said, "You have tortured my feet for the last time!" Then he threw them far to the other side of the oasis barking, "GOOD RIDDANCE!" After the offending pair shoes were out of sight, silence permeated the oasis fountain.

Silence, broken only by… the laughter of a young woman!

This surprised Atem to no end. Could it be that someone had followed him after all? "Who's there?!" he exclaimed. The Nubian Princess, realizing that he had heard her, ceased her chuckles and stared in astonishment as he turned around. The Prince scanned the surroundings until he found someone hiding in the shadows of the nearby palm trees. From what he could see, that figure was indeed a woman. "Show yourself." He commanded.

At first, the Princess was hesitant to obey. She did not expect this young nobleman to speak directly to her so soon! But again, she was not afraid. Deep inside her heart, she was looking forward to meeting him face to face anyway. Slowly, she stepped out from behind the palm tree and into full view.

Atem gasped, recognizing the Nubian Princess instantly. Both of them stared at each other, and they blushed as sparkling eyes met for the first time under the light of the full moon. Neither of them spoke for a while. Finally Atem broke the silence. "It's you…! You're the princess I saw back at the palace!"

The Nubian Princess gasped in amazement. "You… were watching me?"

"Y-yes… of course!" Atem stuttered. "Did you…"

"Yes…You were running past the door when I saw you." She admitted. "It was for a brief moment before you left, so I didn't know that you were watching." She soon started smiling. "In a way, I find it flattering."

"Oh, uh, thank you." Atem muttered sheepishly.

"By the way, how did you manage to find my secret place?" asked the Princess.

"Your secret place?"

"This oasis fountain." She revealed. Atem looked around, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh! That's your secret place?!" he said, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to intrude on you like this!" He started walking away, saying, "I'll just go and find another oasis to--"

"No, no!" The Nubian Princess interrupted, "Please stay." The Prince stopped in his tracks, amazed at what he was hearing. "It may be my secret place, but it can get awfully lonely. I don't mind the company."

Atem stared in disbelief. But then he smiled. Turning around, he walked toward the waters of the pool. The Princess sped forward, eager to join him. "Ladies first." Atem offered. She slipped off her own sandals and laid them to the side, just before entering the water.

"From what I can see, you must be some kind of nobleman from Egypt." She said as she kneeled down in slightly deeper water.

"Well, 'Nobleman' is a bit of an understatement." Atem replied, "My father is the Pharaoh."

The eyes of the Nubian Princess widened in astonishment. "Really?"

"Really." He replied as he dipped his bare feet into the cool water and sat down on a nearby ledge. He let out a quiet hiss of pain, for his feet were still terribly sore. Come to think of it, they felt rather moist on the sides, even before they entered the pool.

She paused for a moment as the information sank into her head. "So what is your name?"

"You can call me Atem." Was his reply, "What's yours?"

The Nubian Princess blushed and replied, "Nimea."

"Nimea…" Atem repeated, and his heart was soaring. "That's a beautiful name." Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his feet. "Ow!" he barked, reaching down to clutch one foot.

"Are you all right?" Nimea asked in concern.

"I-I'm fine." Atem hastily replied.

"I'm not so sure about that." She said, and she before he could protest, she lifted his foot into the dim light made by the nearby torch. She gasped. "By the breath of Isis! You got blisters all over the sides of your foot right here, and some of them have burst open!" She touched the blisters, causing the Prince to hiss in pain.

"I knew my shoes were tight, but I didn't think they were **that** tight!" he muttered ruefully.

"Let me look at your other foot then." Nimea suggested. Reluctantly, he did as she requested. There were terrible blisters on that foot as well. "Oh dear… now that doesn't look good. Your shoes must have been rubbing against them, especially when you were taking them off."

"ERK!" Atem shouted in shock, his cheeks quickly turning red as a beet. "You were **watching** me take off my shoes?! Oh no! I can't believe that just happened! This is so embarrassing!"

"Embarrassing or not," Nimea noted, "I'm glad you took off those shoes before they could do more damage. I may not be a healer, but these blisters are nothing I couldn't fix." She took out a small ceramic jar out of the pouch she carried and after opening the lid, she scooped out some light brown paste. "Here," she said as she started to rub the paste onto his feet, "This ointment will help to speed up the healing. And don't worry, it's waterproof."

There was a look of astonishment in the Prince's eyes as the application took place. "N-Nimea! You're a princess! You don't have to do this for me!"

Princess Nimea just smiled and simply replied, "I know."

For a while, Atem was speechless. Then he too gave a soft smile. "Thank you." He continued to watch as the lovely princess tended the sides of his feet and wrapped them each in a strip on clean linen to keep the water from washing off the waterproof ointment.

"There! It's done." She said, "Take care not to touch the blisters so much, and you'll be better in no time." The air around them suddenly filled with tiny balls of light. They danced in the air, adding to the beauty of the stars in the moonlit sky. "Oh look!" Nimea gasped in excitement, "Fireflies!"

"Beautiful…" Atem said.

"You know, this might be a good time to start talking to each other," Nimea mentioned, "and get to know each other a little more."

"That's a good idea." Atem agreed, "Let's talk."

"I'll start." Nimea let out a sweet chuckle. "As you might have already figured out, I am the princess of Nubia. I'm sure you know about royal duties, being that you are a prince."

"Of course!" he replied, "That's why I used to go hiding in the vases when I was little."

"Did you?"

"It's true." Atem replied with a chuckle, "I don't do much of that anymore."

"Well, whenever I have free time," Nimea said, "I go out of my way to interact with people. Sometimes I would share some food. I have some skill in healing, and so on occasion I help the Healers tend to the sick and the injured. But if there's one thing I love above all things, it's music. I love playing the harp, and I love to dance. There were times when I wish I would join the court dancers when they perform in banquets and festivals."

"So you can dance?" Atem asked in awe, to which she nodded in confirmation. "That's amazing! You should let me watch you sometime!" Nimea let out a joyful laugh.

* * *

Hours passed. Prince Atem and Princess Nimea enjoyed the tranquility of the oasis fountain, and they continued their conversation, discovering that they have a whole lot in common. The whole time, they both wanted to tell each other about their love, to confess their feeling for each other right then and there, but they didn't. Neither of them knew how the other feels, so no matter how strong their feelings for each other, they didn't want to rush in. They decided to take it slow. Still, they really enjoyed spending time with each other.

Nimea let out a sigh of content. "Thank you for tonight. I really had a great time talking with you." Atem stepped out of the pool as the Princess took his hand and stood up with him.

"So did I." Atem replied. He paused and he and Nimea looked into each other's eyes. "Well Nimea… it's time for me to return to Egypt. Would you… like for us to meet again sometime?"

"Oh definitely!" Nimea answered joyfully, "I would love for you to come back!" For a moment, there was a look of concern as she scanned her surroundings. "I don't want any of our families to get suspicious though." But her smile returned just as quickly. "Let's meet right here in the fountain next month."

"Of course!" Atem agreed, "And since it's going to be once a month, we should spend three nights together in the time of the full moon. Is that all right with you?"

"Yes! I already look forward to it!" She picked up her sandals as Atem made his departure. "Goodbye Atem! May the gods watch over you in your travels!"

"Until we meet again!" Atem said likewise, waving goodbye. Then he left to meet up with his two priests, but not before he found his old shoes, which he carried for the rest of his trip back to Egypt.

//////////////////////////

"…And after that, the rest was history." Atem finished. "Your secret place became **our** secret place, and we would meet there every month for three nights under the full moon." The Pharaoh of Games smiled at the Nubian Princess, Nimea. "Well, that's all I can recall for the time being. Looking at this place now, it really does look just like our secret place, doesn't it?"

"It does." Nimea sighed contentedly, "And now here we are in the Offering Fields, sitting side by side in the oasis fountain… just like in old times."

Atem wrapped an arm around his beloved. "I can't wait to discover what happened next. Aside from that, I have many things to tell you about, and many questions to ask you."

"You can ask me all the questions you want," Nimea replied, "I'm more than happy to give you the answer, Brother." Atem smiled at the very mention of that pet name. In Ancient Egypt, it is common for lovers to call each other 'Brother' and 'Sister' as well as by their true names, even if they are not related by blood whatsoever. This was due to the influence of the Egyptian Gods; Osiris and Isis were not only husband and wife, they were brother and sister. The same applies to their parents, the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut, and their grandparents Shu and Tefnut. All of these divine couples loved each other with an undying passion, especially Geb and Nut, with whom Atem and Nimea could both relate to. The Princess leaned on Atem's shoulder. "But for now, let us savor this moment, the perfect way to celebrate your homecoming." She looked up at him and they both blushed. "I look forward to the day you remember our first kiss." The two of them leaned toward each other, and they closed their eyes in the anticipation of a long awaited kiss…

"CANNONBALL!" the excited voice of a child suddenly hollered, followed by a loud splash. The next thing they knew, they were drenched by a wave of water. In an instant they looked up and in the pool, there was a small boy, laughing in triumph of his antics. Atem stared in amazement, for it was the very same boy he saw on his way to his new palace, the one with straight red hair and golden bangs shaped like lightning! "Ha ha ha, that was fun!"

"Paneshe! You little rascal!" she exclaimed walking over to the boy, "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to say hi, that's all!" replied the boy, Paneshe.

"Well, it's good to see you again!" Nimea chuckled, ruffling his hair. "And you've come just at the right time. There's someone I'd like to for you to meet!"

"Oh! You mean that guy over there?" Paneshe asked, pointing to Atem.

"That's right!" Nimea takes hold of the boy's hand and brings him toward the young Pharaoh. "Atem, this little mischief maker over here is Paneshe. You'll be seeing him quite often, because he lives in this palace too."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Paneshe!" Atem chuckled and shook the boy's hand.

"And I'm honored, Atem!" Paneshe replied, "I've heard a whole lot about you and your adventures! You must be very brave, standing up to Zorc like that!"

"Just wait until you hear about my recent adventures!" Atem said with a playful smirk. "I actually shared the body of my reincarnation for two years before I came here!"

"Really?!" Paneshe gasped, "Oh please tell me all about it sometime! The world must have been so different from 3000 years before!"

Now it was Atem's turn to ruffle the boy's hair. "Anytime, Paneshe!"

"I'm gonna head back to the palace." Paneshe said, rushing out of the water, "You guys have fun out there, and don't forget to kiss before you go to bed! See ya tomorrow!" Atem blushed at the mention of the kiss. If it came right out of the mouth of a child who obviously knows about your romantic relationship, who wouldn't?

"You may not know this Atem," Nimea noted, "But of all the angel children who live in the Offering Fields, half of them grow up very slowly. Paneshe is one of those children; he looks like a ten-year-old boy, but he didn't get to that stage until he was 1800 years old. That's one of the quirks of the afterlife."

"I guess he must have been waiting for me almost as long as you have." Atem replied.

Nimea laughed, "Why wouldn't he be? You are his role model!"

"Ah…" Atem sighed happily, "So he is." It was just his first day in the afterlife, and already he was looking forward to witnessing more of its marvels with his beloved.

Note: Well, that's it for this chapter! I don't exactly know what will happen in the next one, but I think it involves Atem discovering his wings. It might take a while to conjure up the details, but at least it will give me time to work on the chapters of my other stories. Who knows? Until next time!


End file.
